You Can't Run From the Past
by AsteriaKimeNymar
Summary: [High School AU] He thought he'd finally gotten away from his past. Even after the previous year's mishap, he had remained alive with his heritage unknown. But with the addition of some familiar faces this year, is he still able to keep running? Or will he finally be revealed? ...He didn't want to find out. Edward-centric. Brings together Tellius, Archanea, Elibe, and Magvel.
1. Chapter 1

Meep.

I was going to post to post this one first, but the Mafia got ahold of me, so...yeah.

Fair warning, this has a bunch of supernatural elements, so if I call someone a vampire or something, that's why. I also have a few OC's. Their descriptions will be posted on my profile page soon under **4-5-15**. Note that not all of the ones on my page are going to be in here.

**4-14-15 Update**: I originally wasn't going to put this in as a crossover with Vampire Academy because there aren't really any of the characters in this, only the elements and references. But, according to my sister, who has been at this a lot longer, I should. So it is. If you were hoping to find Rose or Sydney or anyone else from the VA cast, I'm sorry to disappoint, but they'll probably only be referenced.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Fire Emblem cast or the Vampire Academy plot and elements included. Or else, this stuff would be realer than it really is.

So, onto the story!

* * *

"Attention," the intercom sounded. "All first-year students must report to the gymnasium for orientation. I repeat, all first-year students report to the gymnasium for orientation."

Edward stuffed his thin black jacket into his duffel bag, picking up his pace to match Volug's longer strides. He was only half listening to the werewolf's conversation as he glanced around, taking in the sights of the 'prison' he would once again be stuck in for the next nine-and-a-half months. They were returning for their third year at the boarding school, and he inwardly groaned at the idea of potentially facing some of the previous year's teachers.

"…place is packed this year," Edward heard from the last clip of Volug's conversation. "It seems Shiner's reputation as the safest school for the supernatural is holding true this year."

"…Hm…" the shorter teen let out a small hum of agreement, scanning his eyes over the students standing around the main lobby. The more preppy students were hanging around the office in one huge group, per usual: Roy, Merric, and Wolt cracking jokes that only they would understand, the redhead with an arm slung around Lilina's shoulders; Marth silently leaning against the way nearby, his nose in a large novel that looked as if it could be even bigger than the _Harry Potter _series; Caeda, Eirika, Tana, and L'Arachel standing right by him chatting loudly, Caeda occasionally glancing at the teen with her usual love-struck gaze; Ephraim, Innes, and Ike discussing training, Soren held close to the last by his waist. The half-dragon seemed odd compared to the rest of the group, his dark green hair a stark contrast to the brighter colors of the rest. Maybe Ike liked them different from the norm…? Edward couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of the jock chasing anyone, really, let alone someone so reserved and soft-spoken, and an outcast from the rest.

It was also a surprise that Ike wasn't with the other athletes, Edward noted. The group hung near the gym entrance, some itching to get to practice, others not so much. The group partially consisted of the McGinty brothers, five – well, now six with the inclusion of a first-year – teenage boys related through one large adoption. Wolf was the heart-breaker of the lot, with looks and skills that would make any girl drool at the sight of him. He wasn't too fond of speaking, however; he simply preferred to keep to himself, unless an issue arose with one of his brothers. Will and Vyland were the jokers, with Will being just a little more flirtatious than the other redhead. But the real player of the boys was Tomas, the only second-year of the five. Along with his spotless streak as an award-wining tracklete, he had that perfect combination of boyish charm and good looks to get him just about any girl he had his eyes set on. Of course, it wasn't as if Sedgar, his blood-brother, entirely approved of his endeavors. He and Vyland were the two of restraint; they would wait until the right person came into their lives to make any real moves.

They were some of the stars, though the group didn't consist entirely of them. Fir and Noah always hung close by, the former eager to get some tennis practice in, and her boyfriend ever willing to stay by her side and coach her. Cain and Abel were discussing – well, Cain was practically yelling – with their ever-clashing ideals, sparking a reaction of amusement from the other teen. Franz balanced a football **(A/N: Not American football; soccer – for everyone else in the world who call it football.)** on his head, starting up a game of cat and mouse with Ross, who was – keyword: trying – to get the ball away from the younger second-year. Minerva stood by on her own, her elder brother and idol, Michalis, graduating the year past. She was nowhere near shy, mind you; she was simply more of a loner type. She and the two – now three – Dallas sisters made up part of the best volleyball team imaginable, combining perfect teamwork and coordination that would take most teams months upon months to master. However, Palla and Catria were off aiding in the first-year orientation, where both their and Minerva's younger sisters were present, leaving the eldest teen by her lonesome.

Edward looked from the jocks to the bookworms close to the lobby door. He had always wondered how Marth and Merric never tried to fit in with them. The two were often reading – the former much more often than the latter – and Marth's elder sister (and Merric's crush, but don't tell them I told you that) was once there before her graduation the past year. Laura and Lena were close to one another, sharing tidbits on healing and the like, while Laura's 'brother' Aran kept an eye on her close by. Julian, the class clown of the decade, was attempting to flirt with the clerics, though Aran, along with Lena's own brother, Matthis, gave him harsh glares, prompting him to keep his distance. Rhys and Ewan seemed amused by the engagement, sharing their own knowledge with the girls. Rhys was never one to talk, really, but he would enthusiastically speak his mind on the topics that interested him. Ewan was a bit more outgoing, frequently playing mind games with Ross, who had yet to ever solve the boy's riddles. Amelia and Neimi were nearby, chatting on the perfect recipes they could try out over the course of the school year, Neimi leaning back against her boyfriend Colm, and Amelia absentmindedly turning the bracelet Franz gave her around on her wrist. Artur occasionally put in his own opinions, glancing at Lute every so often, who was placing nearly every ounce of her attention in a large novel, taking only a rare second or two to glance back at the monk. Caesar sat a little further away, absorbed in a book and paying little attention to the others. He was one of those mixed-bag-types of people. When he wasn't on the court or at the forge, he was in the library, reading up on who knows what. Either way, he was popular with the ladies, though he didn't seem to show all that much interest in dating.

And then there were the laguz off to the side of the large room. They were full-on shifters, like Volug, though they had to keep their animal side physically present in some way at all times, whereas the wolf could hide those features, being half laguz, half werewolf. They weren't outcasts, – in fact, nowhere near that – but they preferred to stick in one group when possible. They and most normal beorc had running tensions between them, and it would still be some time yet before the two races would fully accept one another. Ranulf seemed to run the group, cracking the most jokes and leading the way. Kyza and Lyre were constantly fighting for the blue cat's attention, much to his own chagrin. The two were complete opposites in most ways: Kyza was hard-working and dutiful, always doing his upmost in every class; Lyre was a wild-child, throwing parties and enjoying being in the spotlight. There was one thing they had in common, though – they would willingly throw the other to the gutter if it meant being the center of Ranulf's attention. Lethe was the voice of reason for her twin sister's crazy antics; she was serious and straight-forward, though she harbored the most distrust of the beorc. Reyson sat off a little ways to the side, chatting quietly with Ulki. Reyson was bold, but at the same time still gentle and serene, as required of a heron royal. Ulki was the most reasonable of the birds, keeping the prince and rash Janaff out of trouble. Even so, Janaff was still a prankster and a flirt, causing trouble with quite a few teachers.

And he wasn't the only one. Xane perched near a set of stairs, a mischievous set of eyes scanning the room for someone to prank. He was a sort of drifter; he never stayed with one group for too long. He was the person to cause THE most trouble in the building, with the ability to shift into most any form he chose. With the ability to mimic voices and actions perfectly, he could pretend to be a teacher at one point or another, and no one would notice. He was the man of mysteries to quite a few girls, and his flirtatious habits weren't too much of a good side for him, either.

"Are you really even paying any attention, Ed?"

Edward jerked his head back to Volug at the question. "S-sorry," he apologized. "I was just thinking."

Volug raised his eyebrows, a grin rising on his face. "Thinking? That's a new one."

"Oh, shut up," he said, playfully swatting at the wolf.

"Hey! Eddie, Volug!"

The two headed toward the sound of the voice, calling out greetings to those at the table near the main hall. None of them really seemed to change all that much, personality-wise: Pelleas and Sophia were quietly reading the same book and chatting on its contents, Alexis leaning against the blunet's arm, silently following along; Chad had his music in his ears and was fully absorbed in his sketching, as his girlfriend, Cath, seemed to be nowhere around.

Tormod bounded over to the pair, arms spread wide. "Hey! How have you guys been doing?"

Edward returned the redhead's embrace, then clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Pretty good. Got to see where Volug came from for the first time in, like, ever."

"You've been living with him and his mom for almost five years, and you're just now getting to see their hometown?" Sothe jumped down from the table and leaned against it, next to Micaiah, who put down her own novel to pay further attention to the conversation.

Volug sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, well, my mom's not a huge fan of going back there. It has some…unpleasant memories for her."

"Oh…" Micaiah's gaze lowered. "We didn't know anything like that may have been a possibility."

He waved a hand. "Don't worry about it. So," he started, walking over to the table and stepping on the seat, "who here actually had something interesting happen over the break?"

Chad removed an earbud and looked in the wolf's direction, finally taking notice of his and Edward's presence. "Oh, hey. Were you just saying something?"

Alexis giggled lightly, sitting up straight. "Look who's paying so much attention. Of course, beautiful artwork takes concentration, but, nevertheless, it wouldn't entirely hurt to at least have the music low enough to hear everything else around you." The girl seemed to have changed the most over the summer, compared to the rest; her once porcelain-fair complexion was now a semi-deep tan, and her flowing, deep purple hair now went down to her waist, though she still had bangs ringing her soft face. She had grown much more beautiful…Edward ceased his thoughts on the matter, holding back a blush. She was Pelleas' girlfriend and Wolf's twin sister; if either of them caught him thinking such thoughts, the confrontation would be nowhere near a pleasant one.

The corner of Chad's lips tugged upward for a moment before settling back down into a neutral expression. "Sorry. I've just been trying to get this finished for the past week."

Edward leaned over the second-year's shoulder to get a good look at his project, but he quickly covered it up with his arm. The elder brunet sighed. "Come on, Chad. Why do you never let anyone see what you're working on?"

"It's not that," he said, closing the flap of his sketchbook and putting his pencil on his ear. "I just don't want anyone seeing it while it's not finished."

"But even when you do finish something, you never let us see it," Tormod complained. He crossed his arms and lightly smirked. "I bet you let Cath see them," he said in a tease.

A soft blush rose on the younger teen's face. He closed his eyes. "She's my girlfriend. Of course she gets the privilege to see my unfinished work. Besides, it's far too tiring trying to keep anything from her anyways."

"Wonder if that's the only thing only she gets to see," Volug teased, waggling his eyebrows. "Perhaps you're the one here who had the most interesting experience this past summer."

The blush on Chad's face immediately deepened, and he gawked at the wolf, eyes wide and at a loss for words. "…Ah-…"

Tormod and Edward were doubled over in laughter almost as soon as the words came out of the dark-haired teen's mouth. Sothe snorted and attempted to hide his hilarity, though he wasn't doing the best possible job at it.

"Oh Volug, was that really necessary?" Micaiah scolded, though in reality she still found the thought somewhat amusing.

"That was completely necessary," the elder teen answered matter-of-factly with a short nod, a wide smile on his face.

Pelleas put his book down and put his face in his hand, quietly chuckling and slightly shaking his head. "It's Volug, Micaiah," he spoke as he looked back up. "It's to be expected by now."

Alexis sighed and shook her head. "You boys, I swear…"

The blunet feigned offence. "What did I do?" He wrapped his arms around her and held her close to his chest. "Are you saying I'm not a good boyfriend?"

She laughed softly and rested her head in the crook of his neck. "Don't be absurd. It could never be like that, my love. You're everything a woman could ask for," she said, causing Tormod to pretend to gag at the mush.

Sophia sighed at the pair in a dreamy way. "You two are so perfect together…" Her voice was still soft, but it was much steadier than it had been the past year when she first came to the school. **(A/N: Have to make a ****_My Little Pony_**** and ****_Glee _****reference; just imagine a mixture of Fluttershy and Tina's voices, respectively, and you've got it. Blame me having to watch a marathon of ****_My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic _****with my niece. Not trying to insult it, but I'd rather not watch 20 episodes in a row, thanks.)**

"What, no boyfriend yet, Sophie?" Edward asked, leaning forward to rest his arms on the table.

The second-year blushed lightly. "Well, no, but there was this first-year I had met earlier today…"

Chad sighed quietly, glad that the focus was no longer on him or his love life. "Join the love club, then. Might be able to keep you further away from him," he lightly jerked his head in Volug's direction, "and his never-ending torture. After all, he's single."

Sophia giggled, louder than expected for someone as soft-spoken as her. "I'm sure I've not much to worry about anyways, seeing as you seem to be his main focus."

Cue the return of the blush. "W-well…"

"Hey guys!" Cath ran over to the group and jumped into the seat next to her boyfriend, Sue trailing right behind her. Those two hadn't changed a bit over the past two-and-a-half months; Cath was still loud and semi-wild, and Sue was still quiet and reserved. "You'll never believe what we heard-" She paused for a moment and cocked her head at Chad. "What's with you?"

"Please don't ask," he said, suppressing a groan and shutting off his music.

"Fine, whatever. Anyways," she continued, "guess what we just found out!"

"Reglay finally got fired?!" Tormod guessed enthusiastically, perking his head up.

She scrunched her face. "What? No. They'll never get rid of him. In fact, I think he got a raise or promotion or something like that this year."

Tormod groaned loudly and looked up at the ceiling. "Why must they keep him?! He's evil and torturous!"

Sue giggled lightly, sitting down between Cath and Micaiah. "You just don't like him because he gives you a hard time. He only acts that way towards you because he sees potential in you. You just won't take the initiative to further you're magical ability."

The redhead crossed his arms. "Humph. Murium says that I don't have to do anything I don't want to do. And the last thing I want to do is spend an hour after classes every day with the guy in some dusty old library reading about spirits and all that."

Sothe tsked and shook his head. "You really don't like the idea of potentially setting a bathroom on fire or anything?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

He thought for a moment, then slightly nodded his head in agreement. "That DOES sound like fun, I admit, but that doesn't mean I wanna spend an extra hour with Reglay, either way. If it was a different professor, I might be more inclined to try it out."

"ANYWAYS," Cath said loudly, drawing the attention back to her, "we just found out that apparently the orphan son of some noble Moroi is coming here this year."

"A Moroi noble?" Edward asked, sounding surprised. "Don't they have a school specifically for Moroi and dhampirs? What's he coming here for?"

"Remember what I said earlier about Shiner having a reputation for being the safest school for the supernatural? That's probably why," Volug replied. "Especially considering the barrier breach last year, I'm surprised there aren't any more coming in than normal."

"And it isn't as if we've no such thing as Moroi or dhampirs in this school," Alexis added. She nodded at the brunet. "You of all people would know this."

Edward glanced down at the bandages over his right palm, wrist, and half of his forearm. He had them there to cover the tattoos defining him not as a dhampir guardian, but rather as something else entirely. Something the supernatural had come to fear and resent. Something they would willingly discriminate against and kill to protect themselves. He was the only one at the school, having a family history he abandoned and would rather not think about. Hence the reason for living with Volug and his mother for five years. He sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But that doesn't mean I'm not surprised there's a noble here. I mean, sure, there ARE nobles and royals here, but not in regards to Moroi. That's what's bugging me, I guess."

"Even though all graduating dhampir guardians are assigned to noble and royal Moroi?" Pelleas asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Ugh, don't remind me. Most of them are stuck up and snobby. I want nothing to do with them a majority of the time."

Micaiah gave him a quizzical look. "Are you sure you're a dhampir, Edward? Other than you, I've never met one who's so open about their distaste for upper-class Moroi. They all keep it in and don't speak about it because they know it's the duty of their bloodline to protect them."

Edward sighed. "It's…complicated."

"It's not our place to question him," Sue stated, her eyes closed. "If he doesn't want to speak about it, we shouldn't make him."

The brunet gave a small smile. "Thank you, Sue."

"Think nothing of it."

"Hey, there he is!" Cath cried softly, pointing to the lobby entrance.

The group moved their gazes to where the second-year was pointing. In the doorway was a blond third-year teen in the required red, black, and white school uniform, a beige messenger bag slung over his right shoulder. He opened a piece of paper in his hand and glanced at it before looking up and around. When his steady gaze reached the table, everyone quickly returned to whatever they were doing beforehand, to seem as if they hadn't just been watching him.

Cath let out a dreamy sigh. "He's sort of handsome, isn't he?" She laughed at Chad's bewildered expression and leaned up against him. "I'm only kidding, sweetheart. I'm not going to leave you for him."

"'Bout to say…" Chad muttered, wrapping an arm around her.

Edward looked back into the crowd, searching for the blond. Why had he seemed so…familiar to him?

"Hey, Ed," Volug started, patting the younger teen's shoulder, "you alright?"

The brunet turned back to the wolf. "Huh? Oh. I'm…fine. Don't worry about it."

"Well, if you say so…"


	2. Chapter 2

...I don't have much to say. For once. Uhhh...am I getting all this boarding school stuff right? ...Probably not. I've never been to one, and I've only read a couple stories involving them. So if I'm not, I'm sorry.

Oh yeah. And my version of Matthis is the manga one. So he's not cowardly or obsessing over his sister's safety. He's protective, but in a more badass way. Just so you know.

And most of the songs that I include in this story with be songs from anywhere between 2000 and 2010. I listen to more of those than some of the more modern ones.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Fire Emblem cast or the Vampire Academy elements incorporated into the story. I also don't own any of the songs mentioned or quoted. If I did, all this would be happening more often.

Here you go with the chapter.

* * *

"Ugh…same room again?" Edward groaned at the slip of paper giving him dorm _MB3_, the same as it had been for the past two years. He was the only person he knew who had been given the same on-campus dorm every single year. He let out a loud sigh as he put the paper away and approached the door to the dorm. "At least I know where it is."

The key budged in the keyhole, causing the brunet to puff out his cheeks in irritation. "Just my luck. The knob's still aligned wrong." He pushed the doorknob down with one hand as he turned the key with the other, letting out a short breath when the lock clicked, allowing him access to the dorm.

Every dorm housed two students from each year. It consisted of a kitchen, a large living room, and two hallways. Each hallway had two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Students from the same year shared a bedroom and adjoining bathroom.

Upon entering the dorm, Edward found that everyone save for the other third-year was present. Of course, it was only natural, as first-years received their dorms first at orientation, then fourth-years, seeing as it was their last year, then second-years, and then finally third-years. The fourth-years present were Matthis and Abel, drinking what smelled like coffee in the kitchen and reminiscing about their time at the school. A bright-green-haired first-year sat in one of the chairs, leafing through the contents of a fire tome. The other first-year, a blunet Edward recognized as Marth's younger brother, Rickard, was laying stomach-first on the floor and scribbling something on a notepad, moving his head to the tune of whatever music he had in his ears, mouthing the words, which looked to be _In the End_ by Linkin Park.

Edward walked over to the sofa facing away from him and tapped that familiar fluff of hair on Chad's head, prompting the second-year to look up and remove an earbud. "Oh hey," the younger brunet said, hanging the cord over his ear. "You got the same room again?"

"Hard to believe, right?" Edward asked sarcastically, moving around to sit down next to him, plopping his duffel bag down at his feet. "It's only been the third year in a row." He nodded to the other second-year sitting across from him, his feet propped up on the coffee table. "Long time no see, Tomas."

The teen looked up from whatever he was writing and nodded back. "Edward. What have you been up to this summer?"

"Not much, really. What are you writing?"

"Hm?" He shook his head slightly. "It's not writing."

Edward furrowed his brow. "What is it, then?"

"Oh, I know what that is," the green-haired first-year replied enthusiastically, sitting down next to Tomas, his tome closed in his hand. "It's KenKen. It's a type of math puzzle that requires a good deal of solving skills to work out completely. You're the one Roshea said he makes them for, right?" he asked the elder teen, who nodded in response.

Chad's eyebrows raised in surprise. "'Math puzzles'? I honestly couldn't see you as a Sudoku-type guy, Tomas."

Tomas chuckled lightly. "Just because I'm always running doesn't mean I don't know how to think, thanks."

"When you combine a mathlete and a tracklete, you get a Tomas," Edward muttered to himself. "…Huh."

A knock at the door brought everyone's attention – well, save for Rickard, who was now singing Katy Perry out loud – away from their conversations and to the door. Matthis moved from the kitchen to the living room and the door, coffee mug still in his hand. He pulled up on the knob and twisted it, opening the door to reveal the other third-year. And guess who it was.

"This…is the right room, right?" the blond Moroi asked, furrowing his brow. "_MB3_?"

Matthis nodded. "Yes. Couldn't get the key to turn?"

"I-…Y-yeah," he answered, looking down, a light blush creeping up on his face.

"Don't worry about it," the fourth-year told him, a hint of amusement in his voice. "The knob's not aligned properly. You have to push down on it from the outside and pull up from the inside to get it to turn."

"Really?" He looked back up. "How long has it been like that?"

"At least the past two, three years," Edward answered, kneeling on the couch to properly look over the back. "I would know. I've had this dorm every year I've been here. Don't know why they haven't fixed it yet."

"Yeah," the green-haired first-year piped up. "My dad keeps talking to the headmaster about getting it, along with other things, fixed, but they haven't done anything yet. That's how I knew about it from the get-go."

"Huh?" Tomas jerked his head to the boy. "Who's your dad?"

"Ah, right. Lugh here is Professor Reglay's son," Chad said.

The elder second-year blinked for a second. "Reglay has a kid?" he asked in disbelief.

The brunet smirked lightly. "Two, actually. Lugh, and his twin brother Raigh. We grew up together."

"…Well."

" 'Cause Baby you're a Fiiiiiirewooork! Come on show 'em Whaaaaaat you're Wooorth! Make 'em go: Oh, oh, oh, as you shoot across the Skie-ie-iiie! "

"Okay, WHAT is sounding like a drowning Glameow?!" Tomas cried, dropping his papers on his lap to cover his ears.

Abel rolled his eyes and sighed, walking over to Rickard and pulling one of his earbuds out, getting the boy's attention. "Prince," he started, clearly semi-exasperated, "as good as you may sound most times, PLEASE do not try to sing Katy Perry while you can't hear yourself."

"Wha-…Ooh…Whoops," he said with a sheepish grin, causing the fourth-year to slap his forehead and groan.

Edward chuckled lightly, not realizing the blond had approached him until he spoke up behind him. "Excuse me…"

"Huh?" The brunet turned around to face the blond, who was surprisingly close to him. They both pulled back slightly, flushed. "Okay, woah, too close."

"S-sorry," he apologized. "But I just…thought I had recognized you from somewhere. Have we…"

"…met before?" Edward finished, furrowing his brow. "Yeah, I know. I feel like I know you from somewhere; I just can't place where. What's your name?"

"Oh, sorry. I should have done that from the beginning, huh?" the blond held out a hand. "I'm Leonardo. You?"

"…Edward," he replied, shaking the hand. A few awkward moments passed between the two. "So…"

Leonardo took back his hand and looked away, blushing. "I-I'm sorry. I'm not too good at…social interactions. I'm not used to speaking to others who aren't family or servants."

Edward couldn't help but chuckle at the circumstances. "That definitely sounds familiar. Don't worry. You're not the first person I've had to help cure their shyness. Sure, she's not all that outgoing yet, but she's definitely come far in a year."

The blond slowly started moving his gaze back. "What happened to your arm?" he asked, noticing the bandages.

"Huh?" The brunet looked to his hand and flexed it. "Salt and ice challenge," he lied. He shook his head. "It's the last time I ever take one of Volug's dares." Technically it wasn't a full lie. Earlier in the summer, Volug had challenged Edward to see how long he could stand salt and ice on his bare skin. He lasted about a minute-and-a-half, but it killed his arm to do it. He noticed Leonardo's confused expression. "Ah, right. Volug's a good friend of mine. You'll see in the morning."

His eyes widened slightly. "In the morning? You mean…?"

Edward snorted lightly. "What, you thought I was going to leave you alone? You're new here. I can't let you just run off and cause trouble. You're my responsibility now, like it or not. You're coming with me tomorrow."

Baby-blue eyes met deep violet-brown ones, and Leonardo gave a small, shy smile. "…Thank you. I appreciate it. Really."

"No problem."


	3. Chapter 3

I'm baaaaaaack...kinda.

Alright, so I haven't had much opportunity to write recently, so...I'm working on it.

Disclaimer: I don't own the FE cast or the VA concepts and references. Though I do own any and all OC's mentioned.

* * *

"Rise and shine, Edward."

"Wuh?!" Edward shot up into a sitting position, then quickly looked to see Leonardo sitting on the edge of his bed, fully clothed in blue and white and watching him intently. "What time is it?" he asked quickly, removing the sleep from his eyes.

"About 7:30 or so. You fell asleep with your music in, so I shut it off and plugged your phone in about a half-hour ago so it wouldn't die on you later. …I hope you don't mind."

He blinked for a second. "Oh. Thanks. Seriously."

Leonardo nodded. "It's nothing." He furrowed his brow slightly. "Why did you have _Never Too Late_ on a loop, if I might ask?"

"Oh, that." Edward rubbed his eyes. "It's…kind of like a theme song for me, I guess." He sighed lightly and swung his legs out of the covers and onto the floor. "Let me take a quick shower, then I'll be good. That alright?" he asked, looking to the blond.

The elder teen nodded again. "It's fine by me."

About ten minutes later, the pair was headed out towards the cafeteria, followed by Chad and Lugh, who stayed in the dorm long enough for Edward to get himself together.

"Okay, just as a tip for you two," Edward started to Leonardo and Lugh, "never, and I mean NEVER, tick off the wrong people here. Let's start with that."

Leonardo raised an eyebrow, slightly amused. "And who might these 'wrong people' be?"

"Well, Tomas is a big one," Chad answered. "He's normally pretty good-natured, but trust me; you do NOT want to see him when he gets mad."

"What happened?" Lugh asked, picking up his pace to match the elder teens'.

The brunet cringed. "Let's just say he got suspended for about two weeks and almost got pulled off the track team for it. Trust me, it was NOT pretty." He put up a hand. "Let's just stop on that note."

"His brother's another example," Edward continued. "I mean, I've only ever seen Sedgar ticked once, but that one time he was, the guy ended up with a broken nose AND jaw AND very bad black eye. All from two punches. Proving that you should not mess with Tomas when he's around. Nothing would have happened otherwise. And Sedgar got a week's worth of detention with Professor Panini for what he did." He visibly shuddered. "She's so NOT the person I'd want to spend two hours with at ANY time, let alone in a room alone with her. I actually feel sorrier for Sedgar than the one who decided to get on his bad side."

"Also," Chad added, "NEVER get in between Ephraim and Innes when they're arguing unless you want to get punched in the face. Just let them do as they will. Cain and Abel on the other hand, don't worry about them. They're never serious. They just have opposite ideals and love giving people a show with them."

"And Sophia. Never, and I mean NEVER, EVER, in a BAJILLION years, tick off Sophia. Yeah, she's normally quiet and shy, as I explained to you," Edward pointed to Leonardo, "yesterday, but when she gets mad…" He shuddered again, much deeper this time, and quickly looked around to make sure she wasn't nearby. "Y'know what, I'm actually not even to say anything on that, to make sure there's no possibility of losing my…uh, yeah, I'll just stop there."

Chad leaned in to Lugh and said in a chilling whisper, "She's ALWAYS watching…"

Lugh blinked for a moment and gulped. "B-but she and Raigh seem to get along really well, though…"

He raised his eyebrows. "Raigh's the first-year she was talking about yesterday?"

The first-year thought about it for a second before nodding. "Probably, yeah. They already seem really close, even though they just met yesterday."

"…Well. But, just so you know, she's been voted by a lot of people to be the one most likely to kill someone with a smile on her face." **(A/N: Am I also the only one who noticed that she and Kirigiri from ****_Danganronpa_**** look so very eerily similar? It's way too uncanny…*shudder*…)**

"…And you're just so nonchalant about it…?" Leonardo asked incredulously.

"It's Sophie," Edward answered, shrugging. "We're used to her by now."

"Speaking of Sophia," Lugh started, pointing in the direction of the cafeteria table on the right-hand wall, "is she…?"

"…holding HANDS with your BROTHER?!" Chad ended, eyes wide in disbelief. "But they literally JUST met yesterday!"

And they were. They and Pelleas were in full-on conversation about…well, let's just stick with the dark arts, to put it simply. Micaiah and Hermione, both being light-mages, were asking each other how someone could speak about the darkness so fervently.

…Wait, HERMIONE? Edward's breath hitched in his throat upon seeing the manakete, stopping him in his tracks. He hadn't expected her to come back this year, considering what had happened the year before…

Leonardo took a look back at the brunet, concern etched on his face. "Edward?" He took a step back towards him, making Chad and Lugh stop right after. "Are you alright?"

The shorter teen's gaze moved from the Moroi, back to Hermione, then over to where Volug was seated. His eyes widened, and everything else seemed nonexistent around him upon seeing the two the wolf was talking to. "There's no possible way…" he breathed, his voice somewhat shaking.

One of them, a first-year boy with sandy-blond hair, stood up upon seeing him, and made his way over through the crowd. "Edward!" he called out, bounding over to the smaller group.

Leonardo lightly shook Edward's arm, snapping him out of his trance. "Hey," he said softly. "What's wrong? Who is that?"

Edward let out a shaky sigh. "…He's my brother."

* * *

DUN DUN DUNNNN!

*rapidly waves a stick at the wolves waiting for something better* Back! Back I say! Okay, okay, to be frank, this is part of a much longer segment...that I started months ago...ahem. I'm just trying to finish up the piece, and it's taking longer than expected. Hopefully (though I doubt it) this little...semi-cliffhanger will be enough to keep people sated until I finish the actual chapter. *steals a fuming and/or fearful glance at the snarling pack* I said I'm working on it! Just...give me some time to finish. It's a long chapter by my standards.


	4. Chapter 4

It's finaaalllly done! Um...the chapter, I mean. Not...not the story...

A-Anyways, I keep forgetting to mention, in the VA timeline, this starts in...the first Bloodlines novel. So anything occurring in the later books won't happen unless I write that far into the school year.

Disclaimer: I don't own the FE cast, the VA elements and references, or any songs and/or books mentioned. Never going to happen.

* * *

_Edward's gaze moved from the Moroi, back to Hermione, then over to where Volug was seated. His eyes widened, and everything else seemed nonexistent around him upon seeing the two the wolf was talking to. "There's no possible way…" he breathed, his voice somewhat shaking._

_One of them, a first-year boy with sandy-blond hair, stood up upon seeing him, and made his way over through the crowd. "Edward!" he called out, bounding over to the smaller group._

_Leonardo lightly shook Edward's arm, snapping him out of his trance. "Hey," he said softly. "What's wrong? Who is that?"_

_Edward let out a shaky sigh. "…He's my brother."_

Leonardo's eyebrows raised, a seemingly melancholy look in his eyes. "Brother? You've a…brother?"

Chad furrowed his brow. "You never brought up having siblings before. I mean, I can understand that you might not want to talk about them since you've lived with Volug for years, but still…"

The first-year stopped in front of his elder brother, cocking his head. "What's wrong?"

The elder brunet bit the inside of his cheek and sighed, grabbing the other's arm and dragging him aside. Upon facing him again, he noticed that his brother was maybe only a half-inch shorter, at most; considering he himself was only about 5'3", he was fully realizing the extent of being, um…vertically challenged. "Elric, what are you and Angel doing here?" he asked in a harsh whisper.

"…It's…not obvious?"

"Clearly not, or else I wouldn't be asking," he replied, annoyance creeping into his voice.

Elric winced at his tone. "Geez, and here I thought you'd be happy to see us again."

Edward let out a short breath. He could trust his siblings. Or, at least, he could trust the way he last knew them as being. "No, no, it's not that…But you know how it is between me and Father. You ever consider the possibility you might be here to get me or anyone else here killed?" He looked away. "Because that's exactly what happened last year. A girl close to me almost got killed helping me, and I almost got exposed." He looked back up. "You have any idea how the others would treat our kind if they knew? We're despised by all forms of the supernatural." He shook his head. "…I don't want to know how it feels to lose everything I ever cared about. Not again."

The younger brother stood silent for a moment. "Well, if it makes you feel better, Dad has nothing to do with this. In fact, he has nothing to do with any of us anymore."

"W-what do you mean?"

"Mom divorced him and took us to live out here, away from any of that. You don't have to worry about him interfering in our lives."

Edward blinked. "You can do that?"

He shrugged. "Apparently. Makes me wonder why she didn't do it sooner. None of us really liked the old man, but you're the only one who took the opportunity to leave. Maybe it gave Mom the courage to act herself."

The elder teen bit his lip, hesitant to answer that. He couldn't see his mother as one with less courage than himself. She had always appeared so strong to him when he was younger.

At Edward's silence, Elric's brow creased with worry. "Are you alright, Brother?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah," he answered quickly, shaking his head. "Don't worry about it." He lightly jerked his head in the direction of the table. "C'mon, I'll get you two properly introduced."

Out of the regulars who had appeared the day before, Tormod was the only one missing when the two brothers reached the rest. Edward sighed lightly, then gave a small smile. "Angel…" he started, wrapping his arms around his younger sister, who jumped up out of her seat at his approach.

Angeline **(A/N: Um…not VA Angeline. I hadn't considered that when I gave her the name…) **returned the embrace wholeheartedly, her curly deep brown locks falling into her face. "Brother…it's been too long."

"…Edward."

The elder brunet turned at the sound of Hermione's voice, releasing his sister. She looked healthy compared to when he last saw her; her sandy blond hair was thick and shining, and her skin regained its previously-lost color. He hesitated at the sight of her, his words caught in his throat. He didn't expect her to even look at, let alone talk to him ever again, considering the tragedy that befell her the past year because of him.

Instead, she stepped right up to him and gave him a light kiss on the lips, keeping him from speaking, even if he wanted to. She pulled away slowly, her gaze locked with his. "I'm glad you're alright," she said quietly.

Edward could feel Xane's eyes burning into the back of his head from the other side of the cafeteria, and he mentally shuddered. They were already on bad terms the previous year, what with him being so close to the elder teen's baby sister and all. Considering the events at the end of the last semester, he was extremely surprised the dragon hadn't physically tried to disembowel him yet.

As if reading his mind, Hermione giggled lightly. "Don't worry about my brother. So long as you do nothing to betray me, he won't harm you. After all," she gave him a sly grin, "it's my word keeping him back."

The brunet gave a nervous laugh. "I-I'll keep that in mind." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed their foreheads close together. "Are you okay?" he asked.

She placed her hands on his shoulders and sighed. "What's passed is passed. I'm fine now, and that's all that matters." She stared at him intently. "We'll have to talk later. In private."

"Mm. Right…"

"Well, if your little moment is over," Sothe started, rubbing his temple, "has anyone seen Tormod yet today? I've got a bad feeling he's off causing trouble already this year."

The pair broke apart, and Edward managed to catch a glimpse at Leonardo in his peripheral. Did he seem…jealous? Of Hermione? Or of him? Wait, why was he even thinking about that right now? Sothe just asked him a question. "Tormod? No, I haven't. I would have expected you to know where he is before anyone else does."

"He said he had a bit of…'business', to take care of," Pelleas answered, making air quotes with his hands. "So I'm automatically assuming it has to do with causing trouble."

"What, are you rooming with him or something?" Volug asked, raising an eyebrow.

The dark sage pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. And he snores. WAY too loudly."

The wolf snickered. "Sucks to be you. I got Marth. Now there's a full bookshelf somehow."

"You got Marth; I got his brother," Edward commented, sitting down with the wolf, Hermione taking a seat right next to him.

"His brother? You mean little Rickard, the kid who looks way too young to be a first-year?"

"Yeah. You should have heard him. According to Abel, he knows how to sing, but after yesterday, I SERIOUSLY doubt that claim."

"Oh no, what did he do?" Micaiah asked, rolling her eyes.

"Let's just say, 'Never let him sing Katy Perry'," Chad said, shaking his head.

"You two share a dorm?" Alexis asked them. "I'm with Catria, Amelia, and a heron girl, among others."

"I'm rooming with Tomas again," he replied.

"Well, that sounds like fun." Volug let out a humored sigh. "Remember how last year, he and Jeorge were the only two in our dorm without brown or red hair?"

"Oh yeah, I remember that. And considering the little 'issue' that arose in regards to his suspension, Jeorge and I had to swap rooms, and I got stuck sleeping in the same place as Michalis." He winced lightly. "Not something I'd recommend every night. Still makes me wonder how Jeorge lived with it so well."

Cath scoffed loudly in amusement. "Anyone else remember the dorm crisis last year? Lute roped Ross into failingly attempting magic only to destroy his entire dorm. AND the one next door. The look on Professor Reglay's face was PRICELESS."

"I remember Dad talking about that," Raigh said, placing a finger on his chin. "He said that the two ended up in detention for nearly a month."

"With Professor Panini," Lugh added, giving an exaggerated shiver.

Edward blinked between Lugh and Raigh, the only difference between them he could make out being the former in yellow and the latter in black (Well, and Raigh and Sophia were still holding hands, but that's beside the point). "Geez. How are we supposed to tell you two apart when you have uniforms on?"

"It's a lot easier than you think," Chad answered for them, slipping an earbud in. "Lugh has brighter hair and softer eyes; Raigh's are darker and sharper, respectively."

Volug raised an eyebrow. "Do you repeat this to yourself daily or something to remember?"

The second-year let out a humored breath. "When you've known them for almost ten years, you tend to notice the differences a lot more easily."

Edward tapped the table a couple times before jumping up out of his seat. "Well, I dunno 'bout you guys, but I'm getting food. Anyone coming?"

"Please." Elric stood up and followed his brother toward the lines. "I'm starving."

"Ditto." Angeline quickly bounded after the pair. "Don't you two leave me out, here."

Sue let out a small hum, watching the siblings leave. "It's not hard to tell those three are all related."

"Hey, Brother," Elric started as they walked back to their table, trays filled. "So, does no one know what you are? What we are?"

The elder boy shook his head. "Other than Hermione and Volug for obvious reasons, Professor Reglay's the only one who knows. The others all think we're a family of dhampirs." He gave his siblings a stern look. "You know you have to keep those marks covered. A lot of people here will recognize them on sight."

"Already covered (So punny, right? ^.^ …Right?)," Angeline replied assuredly, balancing her tray with her left hand to show a long, black, fingerless glove covering her right.

"Talk to Professor Reglay about getting written permission to wear that during class. The defense instructor would force you to take it off otherwise."

"Alright."

"Why does everyone paint Professor Reglay to be, like, a villain or something?" Elric asked. "I mean, if we can trust him with us, why does everyone make him seem as if he's one of the last people to go to?"

Edward sighed. "He's…strict, in a sense. He's one of those people who believe that just about everyone has untapped potential; they just refuse to attempt to better themselves. Well, there's that and the fact that he and his wife are immortal vamps – not Strigoi, obviously, but they're that weird and under-researched type that can go out in sunlight and have living, Moroi blood running through their veins. They're pretty much Moroi; they just don't age. And when you consider the fact that they weren't born as Moroi, yet both of their kids are…In fact, normally women of their kind can't even have kids, which makes it even stranger that they do."

"You sure they're their kids?"

"I met his wife once; the twins are a splitting image of her. There is no way they're NOT their kids." (…Did I seriously just put all three forms of there in one sentence…? …VICTORY!)

"Speaking of those two…" The three had reached the table; the twins, along with Sophia and Leonardo, were no longer there. "Where'd they go?"

Pelleas looked up at the question. "Feeders," he answered simply. "Sophia went for Raigh. And…that blond that was hanging around went with as well." He furrowed his brow. "Isn't he that Moroi noble from yesterday?"

Edward nodded, sitting down. "Yeah. And he's almost exactly like Sophia was last year; he has a hard time talking to other people, and even when he does, he's all stiff and doesn't say that much. Hard to believe he actually approached ME yesterday, not the other way around."

"That explains why he seemed hesitant to join us, but at the same time hesitant to leave."

Cath sighed dreamily. "I TOLD you guys he was handsome…"

Chad's eyes widened at her; he decided to actually have his music low for once. "Okay, you're seriously scaring me here."

"Oh, c'mon Cath," Volug complained. "Don't be doing that to him; I can't mess with him if you go and break up with him for that noble."

"Oh, thanks for being SO worried for me," the male thief said sarcastically, narrowing his eyes at the wolf.

"Just trying to help out a friend."

"Sure you are…"

"It's too bad for him, though," Cath continued, turning her gaze to Edward, a mischievous grin on her face, "that you're already taken."

The elder brunet blushed deeply, eyes wide. "Woah woah woah WHAT?!"

She giggled devilishly. "Oh, come on, I saw that look he was giving Hermione when you two were being all lovey-dovey to each other. He was SO jealous."

Hermione shook her head and sighed. "Don't be ridiculous. You're always over-exaggerating, Cath. How do you know that's what it is? I remember what you said about him. How do you know that look wasn't because he longed for some sort of compassion?"

"Girl, I know what lustful jealousy looks like. And that's exactly what it was. And it's not like he could be jealous of Edward for having you. He doesn't know you. He knows him."

"U-Umm…" Edward stuttered. "I'm kind of straight, s-so…h-how would that even work…?"

Volug lightly scoffed and poked the side of the younger teen's head. "If you were straight, Ed, you wouldn't be getting so flustered about the thought of another guy being interested in you."

"Enough!" He ran his hands through his hair. "That's NEVER going to happen, okay!?"

"Geez, relax. I'm only messing with you."

"Well, it's not funny!"

Alexis sighed. "You're also lucky that man isn't over here. You guys could have seriously hurt his feelings, you know. And I know that wouldn't have ended very well. He's been through enough, most likely. Don't make things worse for him."

"You know I'm not serious," Cath said nonchalantly, putting her hands up. "I've already realized that he's probably been through a lot, what with him being an orphan and all. I'm just trying to lighten the mood."

Chad fell silent at that and went right back to his sketching, turning his music up to try and ignore the others' conversation.

The word 'orphan' rang back in Edward's ears. He had forgotten about that…The image of an eight-year-old Leonardo, eyes wide and terrified, flashed into his mind; he clutched his head and clenched his teeth at the thought.

"Edward…?" Hermione put a hand on her boyfriend's shoulder. "What's wrong…?"

He shook his head and looked back up. "N-Nothing. I don't know…Please, don't worry about it."

"Well, if you're so sure…"

"Guys, hide me!" Tormod ran up to the table and ducked behind Sothe, the wall right behind him.

Sothe looked back at the redhead. "I was wondering where you had gotten off to…wait, what did you even do this time?"

"Why do you automatically assume I did something wrong?!"

The rouge gave him a pointed glare. "You're trying to hide. What other reason do I need to assume that?"

Micaiah sighed. "You didn't take his advice from this morning, did you?"

Tormod stared up at her for a second, then gave a sheepish smile. "W-Well, um, you see, what had happened was-"

"TORMOD!" The voice of a certain archsage echoed through the cafeteria, making nearly the entire first-year population grow completely silent. Everyone else continued their conversations, already knowing who the voice belonged to and what it meant, though some still looked towards the table where they knew the third-year would be, eager to see what would happen.

The redhead shrunk back further behind Sothe. "D-Do you think I'll be safe here…?"

"I don't know," the voice said sarcastically, "maybe you're such a good hider that I won't notice you cowering behind someone else!"

Tormod froze; he slowly looked behind him to see a pair of boots; his gaze moved up to the face of the one person he was trying to run away from. He let out a loud squeal and pulled Sothe up to make him into a human shield – when you consider that there's a four-inch height difference between them, it really wasn't that hard. "I-I'm sorry! Don't eat me!"

"Don't hide behind me!" Sothe cried, trying to peel the younger teen's hands off of him. He turned to the professor in front of him. "Listen, whatever Tormod managed to screw up this time-"

"He set a bathroom on fire," the archsage said bluntly, arms crossed.

The rogue stared at him, gaping, then turned quickly on Tormod. "Dude! I didn't seriously mean it!" He turned back. "Professor, Tormod took what I said WAY to seriously-"

"You told him to set a bathroom on fire?" Hermione asked, somewhat amused.

"What? No! I was only joking when I brought up the idea of it! Seriously!"

She giggled, then looked to the professor. "Come now, Erk, don't you think you're being just a little too harsh on students?"

"Not in the least bit," he answered. "And stop calling me by my first name. We've gone over this."

"Yes yes, you don't want to make it seem like there's something going on between us…little brother."

Erk rolled his eyes and scoffed, looking away. "Manaketes…" he grumbled. He sighed and looked to Tormod. "And you're not getting away with what you did. We're going. Now."

Tormod shrunk back. "B-But I…-"

"Now."

His head hung in defeat as he walked around Sothe and started following the professor. "Okay…" he mumbled quietly.

"Daaad!" Lugh ran into the scene and threw his arms around his father, holding him tight.

Erk's expression softened almost immediately, a small smile on his face. "Hey…" He chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair when they parted. "You holding up alright here?"

The first-year nodded enthusiastically and laughed, his fangs gleaming. "Yup! Raigh too!"

"Hm. That's good."

Quite a few students gaped at the complete transformation in the archsage's demeanor, Tormod included. "W-Wah…? Who are you and what have you done with…? And since when did you…?"

He sighed. "What, you didn't think I could be happy?" He gave a sly, fanged smile. "Come now, even I'm not as stone-faced as Professor Panini is."

Edward snorted and almost choked on what he was drinking. He coughed for a few seconds before busting out in laughter. "You can make jabs at other teachers like that?"

"Of course I can. I just normally choose not to." He looked to his son. "If I asked you to teach this buffoon-" he pointed back at Tormod, "-how to properly use fire magic during your free time, would you? You don't have to. But it's clear that he doesn't want to learn it from me."

The aforementioned third-year blinked at the professor, at a loss for words, considering he had somehow known the reason in its entirety for him refraining from learning magic.

"Sure!" Lugh answered, grinning widely. "It wouldn't bother me."

Erk's smile returned. "Thank you." He looked up to see Raigh and Sophia approach, still hand in hand. "There you are."

Sophia nodded slightly. "Professor Reglay."

Raigh smiled shyly. "Dad."

"What, you embarrassed or something?" the archsage asked the boy, an eyebrow raised.

The first-year blushed lightly. "Daad…" he quietly complained, looking away.

"Come now, I'm only teasing." He nodded to his boys. "If you'll excuse me." He turned and left the cafeteria, Tormod sulkily following behind him.

Elric blinked, then looked to his brother. "You didn't say Professor Reglay was British."

"Etrurian," Edward corrected. "Their accents are similar, but not quite the same."

"Whatever. They sound the same to me." He looked to Angeline on his other side. "I thought you had to talk to him about that glove."

She sighed. "I'll do it when he isn't busy with that third-year."

From behind the group, a blue-haired third-year approached and rested an elbow on the top of Edward's head. "Tormod seems to get grilled by Reglay just about every day of his school life, doesn't he?" he asked.

The brunet's head jerked up at the voice, knocking off the elbow; he quickly turned his head to make sure it was who he thought it was, a smile on his face. He jumped up out of his seat. "Ogier! You're, like, alive!"

Ogier grinned widely and embraced the younger teen. "I know. Hard to believe, right? Reglay helped the family out so I could come back."

"Yes, he seems to do that a lot, doesn't he?" Hermione said quietly, half to herself.

"Anyways," he started enthusiastically, turning his head to show the other boy the back of his neck, "take a look!"

Lugh perked up even more (if that's even possible) when he saw the small, black, jagged X, bounding over to the blunet. "Hey! That's a _molnija_ mark, isn't it?"

"Uh-huh." He turned back and put his right fist to his chest, his other hand on his hip. "A few Strigoi decided they wanted to try and go through the wards back home, and I managed to stake one myself. I've officially become a skilled guardian."

"'A skilled guardian'," Volug repeated. He smirked lightly. "You really did that on your own?"

"W-Well, I had a LITTLE help…And…" his stance dropped; he scratched the back of his head, wincing as his hand ran over a stitched-up gash, "I kinda…got a minor concussion…"

Visible cringes were seen from the group. Sue sighed quietly and stood, moving around to the blunet's back and running her hands through his hair, searching for the wound. "If you're reacting like that, then it must have only happened within the past couple days; your injury would have healed by now if it was any sooner."

"C-Come on, Sue, do you really have to-" Ogier hissed in pain before he could finish his sentence, as Sue had decided to press hard against the gash in his head. He quickly pulled away and moved a hand to cover his wound. "Oww…What the hell?!"

"…It just happened yesterday, before you left home, didn't it?"

"W-Wha...?" He stared at her for a few moments, then heaved a sigh. "I still don't know how you do it...Yeah. A few hours before. They were actually hesitant to let me come at first. Then they figured the docs here could treat me better than they could there. That's where I was all day yesterday."

"And you were getting your mark yesterday too, I assume?" Edward asked, leaning back against the table.

"O-Oh, yeah. That too." The blunet laughed sheepishly. "Almost forgot for a second..."

Cath scoffed loudly. "You SURE you got that mark legally?"

"Oh, come on, Cath...What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't you think that's just a little cruel?" Alexis asked the second-year.

The brunette put her arms up in peace for the second time that day. "I'm JUST saying, there's something wrong if you don't even remember receiving such a high honor for a dhampir, especially one who has yet to even complete their training."

"Um..." Angeline hesitated for a second, but decided to speak anyways. "You...think that slight memory loss might just be because of the concussion...?"

Everyone at the table turned to her. Ogier cocked his head. "Hey, Eddie, who're the two who look so much like you?"

"Oh, right. Should probably start some official introductions, huh? But first…" Edward looked around, then turned to Sophia. "Hey, Sophie, y'know that blond that went with you guys to the Feeders? Did you see him leave?"

"Oh, you mean Leonardo?" Lugh asked. "He was still there when we left. Must've been letting people in front of him or something."

Sothe stared at the little mage with his eyebrows raised. "A noble being noble? That's a thing?"

"Oh, Sothe," Micaiah scolded, lightly slapping his shoulder.

"I'm just saying. You rarely see any type of noble or royal, whether it be human, Moroi, or anything else, acting like they're a nice person." He raised a hand slightly. "And don't go bringing up Marth, because I very well know that's what most people would do. We all agreed last year that he wasn't your normal royal."

"Well, it IS a known fact that human royals are generally kinder than Moroi royals," Pelleas stated. "And Marth and his siblings are royals in their human lives."

"Well, according to Lilina," Ogier started, a finger on his chin, "their father isn't a Moroi royal, but their mother is a Drozdov. And she's far kinder than their father. I guess there really are some exceptions to the rule, aren't there?"

"Hey, remember the new queen." Raigh sat back down and crossed his arms. "Everyone says Queen Dragomir is set to be one of the greatest rulers in Moroi history. 'Alexandra's heir', they call her."

"I believe that's more because of her age than her accomplishments. They were both elected young. But…I don't think any of this really matters. All of these comparisons and speculations don't change the fact that they're still Moroi. They still come first."

"Spoken like a true dhampir." Edward sighed. "If only I could share your unshakable loyalty…"

"Well, how about this, then?" Cath put her hands on his shoulder and leaned in close to him, a sly grin on her face. "When you finally graduate, you can ask Marth or another kind Moroi royal to pull some strings and get you assigned to that noble."

He blushed deeply and quickly backed away from her. "Lay off that, already!"

"Edward?"

The brunet turned around to see none other than the aforementioned nobleman, watching him with curiosity. "O-Oh! Hey!" Ignoring Cath's smug victory smile, he stepped forward and grasped the blond's arm, pulling him closer to the group. "Come here. I wanna get you properly introduced to everyone."

Leonardo appeared nervous at the idea, but agreed anyway. "A-Alright."

"So! You already know Chad – who…seems to still not be paying any attention…" he added with a sigh. "Whatever! Anyways, the other, crazy talkative, brunette is Cath, his girlfriend." He leaned in close to whisper, "She's got a thing for tall tales and teasing, so I'd kinda be careful around her."

The Moroi managed a shaky nod after the thought of her possible antics flashed into his mind. "Okay…"

"Hey! What're you saying about me, Edward?!" Cath exclaimed, putting her hand on her hips. "I'll have you know-"

"Ignoring her ranting," Edward quickly continued, "the girl with the dark green hair and the nomadic clothing is Sue. Despite being a generally quiet person, she's reeeally smart and good at reading people. Really nice, too."

As if proving his point, Sue slowly nodded to Leonardo and said, "A pleasure. I hope we'll be able to talk more sometime soon."

"The other guy with the green hair is Sothe. He may seem a little…blunt and rude at first, but he's a good guy once you get to know him."

Sothe leaned against the table, head propped up on his hand, and narrowed his eyes at the younger teen. "I can never really seem to tell when you're complimenting me and when you're insulting me."

"Hey, I'm not trying to insult anyone. Just getting the facts out."

"Sure, whatever."

"Anyways, the silver-haired girl next to him is Micaiah. The two of them act a lot like siblings, even if they're not actually related. She's one the moral and wise ones here, but she always considers what's best for her and those closest to her first when she makes a decision. She always knows exactly what she's doing, though."

Micaiah sighed lightly. "Yes…my loved ones always come first, even if the decision isn't always quite the best one as a whole…"

"Dark underlying thoughts aside, she's an overall sweet person. Going around the circle…Sophie would be next. I had already brought up earlier how much you and her last-year-self have in common. She's a little more outgoing now, but she's still quiet and compassionate…And scary when she's mad."

Sophia sat back down in her usual spot, giggling softly and…almost…eerily… "Well, I guess it takes a lot for someone to make me mad. So I wouldn't worry about it…too much…"

Edward gulped loudly, taking a step back. "A-Anyway…Pelleas. He's smart, kind, and all around a great guy, though no offense, Pell, you…kinda have a bit of social anxiety."

Pelleas ran a hand through his hair and sighed quietly. "Right, I won't deny it…though you have to admit that I've been doing a little better recently."

"Oh, definitely. Much better than you were first year."

"I remember that…" Alexis wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder, letting out a soft hum. "You had such a hard time getting up the nerve to move through the crowd and say hello to me…it was cute, really."

"R-Really?" The blunet let out a nervous laugh, a blush spreading across his cheeks as he returned her embrace. "I thought it was kind of embarrassing…"

"Never."

"O-kay…" Edward scratched the back of his head. "She's Alexis, and those two are obviously dating…Besides that, she's really sweet and caring towards all of us, like we're her family or something. And she already has…how many brothers again?"

She laughed softly. "In total…six. But we're not all related by blood. If we're referring to that…then two. My twin brother and younger, first-year brother."'

"Yeah, they're all related through one huge adoption that happened…11 years ago?"

"Around there, yes."

"Right. Tomas is one of them. He and his blood brother are both Moroi, by the way. But you've probably already noticed that."

"Way to point out the obvious to another Moroi, Ed," Volug joked, leaning back in his seat against the table.

"Oh yeah, that's Volug, The guy I mentioned yesterday. He's half-laguz and half-werewolf."

"What's with always using the term 'werewolf'? You know how using it on someone who's born into it is kinda…degrading."

"Well, what would you rather me say? Lycan?"

"Preferably, yes. I thought we went over this."

"Not that I remember."

"What, you get a concussion too?"

"Heeey…" Ogier glared at the wolf. "That's cruel."

"Alright, sorry, sorry."

"ANYWAYS," Edward said loudly, "Volug's…Volug. There's not too much of a good way to describe him. He's…perverted, mainly. And makes a lot of jokes that normally have terrible timing…"

"Dude…really?"

"BUT, he's loyal and still means well in the end. A good friend to have."

"Oh…oh! Well, I wouldn't go THAT far…"

"Look who's flustered now."

"Sh-Shut up!"

"Ha! Anyways, the dhampir here is Ogier. Another old friend of mine from years back. He's dependable and the guy you can count on if you have something you need help with…that doesn't involve English homework."

"H-Hey! I'm not THAT bad…" Ogier laughed sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "It's all of those Dialectical Journals, I swear! That's my only problem!"

Micaiah gave an amused sigh and shook her head. "And when an entire unit is comprised of only Dialectical Journals and Socratic Seminars…"

"For the record, that book was one the worst ones of the entire year! How could I focus on the plot when it was written so strangely?"

"That's how books were written back then. And if you actually paid attention to the plot, it was probably the most interesting book last year."

"…I don't even remember the title of it…"

She sighed again, heavier this time. "_Crime and Punishment_, Ogier."

"O-Oh. Right."

Edward shook his head and smiled. "Anyways-"

"I've noticed that you say 'anyways' very often," Leonardo pointed out.

Now it was his turn to be sheepish. "O-Oh, yeah, that's…kind of a bad habit for me."

"I wouldn't say it's really that bad…It defines how you speak. There's nothing wrong with it."

"Oh! Well, that's a relief, then."

The blond chuckled deeply. "You're…interesting, to say the least, if I am allowed to say so."

Elric let out a low whistle at the pair. "Wow. Cath really wasn't lying earlier, was she?"

"SHHH!" Edward and Angeline both clapped hands over their brother's mouth, almost pitching him backwards off of his seat.

"Not. Funny!"

"That isn't necessary, brother!"

"U-Umm…" Most of the group stared at the three either in confusion or humoredly, with Cath flashing a triumphant smile at managing to bring one of the Damen siblings over to 'the dark side'. Chad had removed an earbud and was blinking at the engagement next to him. "What…just happened?"

"Well, that's what happens when you always have your music in. You're going to ruin your hearing like that," Hermione scolded. She sighed and turned to Leonardo. "Ignore what Elric said about Cath. She's a habit for gossip and stretching the truth."

"Hey!"

"But besides that…" she stood and walked over to the Moroi, holding a hand out, "I'm Hermione."

Leonardo hesitated for only a second before shaking her hand. "A pleasure…Etrurian, right?"

"Hm, technically."

"Technically?"

"I was born and raised there, but my parents are – or, were – Archanean. But…that was a long time ago…"

The blond pulled back and bit his lip, then looked down. "Oh…I…I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's fine. I've still my elder brother. Even if he IS too foolish for his own good sometimes. But…I know you've had it worse, so…I shouldn't complain to you about it."

He looked back up and furrowed his brow. "How…how do you know…?"

She gave a small, wry smile. "Secrets like these are ones no one else should ever really hear. So, naturally, the whole school knows about it."

That earned a short chuckle. "I guess that's true. Secrets can never really stay secret for long in a place like this, can they?"

"Not really, no…Listen."

"Hm? What is it?"

"I…don't wish to sound rude, but…you already seem very close to Edward."

"I…" A soft blush rose on his face, and he looked away again. "Well…he's easy to talk to. He's…open. Like I can trust him with the things I could never say to anyone else."

She slowly nodded. "I see…And your beliefs are well-founded. You can trust him. I promise you that. But…" She hesitated for a few moments, uncertain on whether or not she should continue. "He…he has his own secrets he wishes to keep hidden. From everyone. Even…" she looked back to the group, where Edward, Ogier, and Volug were engaged in a light-hearted session of pushing and wrestling, "even those closest to his heart…"

He stared at her with wide eyes. "Why…why are you telling me this?"

"Because…" she looked back and stared directly into his eyes, determination in her own, "Because I know I can trust you. I can sense that you would still accept him, despite anything and everything that he might find wrong with himself. But…that doesn't mean I'll tell you myself what it is. It isn't my place to. But…don't bring it up to him. Wait until he feels comfortable enough to confide in you his greatest secret…I know he will. It may be in the next week, or maybe not even until the end of the year. But he will. He already trusts you that much."

Leonardo moved his gaze from Hermione, over to Edward, and watched him with concern. "Greatest secret…? Just what are you hiding, Edward…?"


	5. Chapter 5

Yay, new chapter!...Even if it's only really a filler chapter to get the plot moving...

Sorry for the verrry long delay, but school and other distractions have been keeping me from writing. But, point being is that I won't keep you.

Disclaimer: I don't own either the FE or VA universes. Unfortunately.

Onto the chapter!

* * *

"Hey, are those the schedules?"

"Seems like it."

"Oh gods, please tell me I'm not getting some horrible class with one of the newbie teachers...Or Panini."

"Knowing your math skills, Tomas, you're probably going to end up with her eventually, whether you want to or not. She's the only Professor for the higher-level math classes, after all."

"...Maybe I can just feign sucking at math long enough to be away from her..."

"But wouldn' that be, like, three more years?"

"...You're not helping, Rickard."

"I don't think Dad would just let you get away with faking, though. Especially if he already knows how good you are."

"Lugh's got a point, Tomas."

"Ugghhhh..."

"W-What's...?"

"Oh, hey, Leo!" Edward turned away from the group crowded in the center of the dorm, all with envelopes in their hands. He himself had two envelopes, one of which he handed to a damp-haired Leonardo once in arm's reach. "Here. It's got all the info for the year in it: class schedules and event dates, maps for each floor, club info and sport registration forms, and an ID card. You have a lanyard to put that last thing on?"

Leonardo, now used to Edward's partial rambling and pet name for him after a week, took the envelope and nodded. "Yeah, a black one. So..." he turned the envelope in his hand to where a wax symbol of a Z sealed it shut, "this has literally all of the information in it?"

"Yep. It's charmed so it can hold a lot more than it looks like it can. It's just more of Reglay and his charms."

"No! No no no no no..."

The pair turned around to see Tomas with his hands over his face and his head back in his seat, the envelope and a couple pieces of paper lying in his lap. Upon closer inspection, there was one in particular that was on the top of the pile, being the reason for his reaction. Edward let out a short chuckle. "You got Panini after all, didn't you?"

"My life...is over," Tomas groaned, his hands falling to the chair and his head staring blankly down at the paper announcing his fate.

"What Calc level?"

"Level two."

"That's a fourth-year class," Abel noted, scanning his eyes over his own schedule. "So it's incredible for a second year to already be in it...What time?"

"Right before lunch...every...freakin'...day."

"Hm. We have it at the same time, then."

Tomas stared at the elder teen with an incredulous look, head tilted. "How...the HELL...does the thought of being with PANINI for and hour and a half every day before lunch not bother you."

He chuckled. "Because I happened to be in one of her only two Calc One classes last year."

"Let me guess," Chad said, a hand raised, "Marth was in that class."

"Naturally. And Franz. Which is why the thought of a second year in level two isn't as surprising to me."

"Franz and Marth are just over-achievers, though." Edward sat on the arm of the couch Chad had seated himself in and stretched his arms behind his head. "They've, like, been Reglay's student pets every year they've been here."

"Heey..." Rickard complained, "that's my brother you're talkin' 'bout, y'know."

"And my dad," Lugh added, crossing his arms with a sulking form of glare.

The brunet put his hands up in peace. "I mean nothing bad by it, guys."

Leonardo furrowed his brow at his own schedule. "Why doesn't my first period have a room?"

"Huh? Oh, that." Tomas picked up his papers and stood, walking over to the blond and leaning to look at the schedule. "All Moroi and dhampir classes are first period, outside."

The elder teen's gaze shifted to the younger, his confusion only increasing. "...Outside."

"Yeah."

"...During the human day."

He returned eye contact and slowly nodded. "Yeeah. Again, it's first period. So the sun's not all the bad. We head out back and meet Reglay by the lake. All Moroi. Doesn't matter what year. There're too few of us to split up into separate classes. So it all works out." He gave him a light pat on the back. "If you still hate the human schedule as is, well...you're gonna have to deal with it. We all do." He took another glance down at the schedule, then did a double take. "Hey...you're stuck with Panini at the same time. And...that's not fair." He crossed his arms and huffed. "How do you get to have Nolan?"

"Umm...what?"

"Wait, what?" Edward slid off his seat and went over to the two Moroi, looking down at the schedule himself. "Hey, you do!" He stepped back to give the blond some space. "Professor Callahan. He hates being called that, so he just lets everyone call him Professor Nolan. But only early first years and people with a respect habit use the 'Professor'. Anyways, he's the Human World History teacher. I had him last year. And he's awesome. Seriously. As long as you pay attention during class and do your work, he lets you do whatever."

"Sounds...relaxing, in a sense."

"Oh, definitely. And since his classes are always large and last period, it's the perfect stress reliever after a day of hard work."

"Hard work..." Chad sighed and shook his head. "Only you, Ed...And Leonardo, don't worry about being around a lot of people you don't know. I have him too. Or, well...A days, right?"

Leonardo nodded after taking another look at the paper. "Yeah."

"Making me wonder..." Edward went back over to Chad and tried to sneak a peek at his schedule before he pulled it close to himself. "How many art classes do you have?" he asked teasingly.

The younger brunet scoffed. "Why're you sounding like that? You make it seem like half of my schedule is always comprised of Art." He looked away when the elder's look became pointed. "...I only have two, okay? Intermediate and Studio."

"...Huh. Not as many as I thought."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing."

"Hey, Lugh, I got a question." Rickard showed the boy his schedule. "Is your mom a teacher or something?"

"Wait, what?" Edward said for the second time that morning, looking over to see the blunet's paper. "Let me see?" He took the paper and read over it, furrowing his brow. "Reglay doesn't teach English...especially first-year English."

"I wouldn't think he would. Which is why I asked."

"Oh yeah!" Lugh took a look at his own schedule, grinning widely. "Mom said she'd start teaching this year! I forgot!" He giggled softly. "When do you have her, Rickard?"

"Uhh..." The elder boy took back his schedule from a confused Edward. "2B."

"Wha- Aww..." he pouted. "I have her 2A..." (**A/N**: In reference to how I somehow have had English second period literally every year of High School. Literally. Every. Single. Year...And 6th. And I think 8th...But I've rambled enough)

"Well..." he took a look at the younger's, "that's why. You're in a GT class. I'm Honors."

"Oh...I've always been good at reading and writing and stuff, so...yeah!"

"I'm writing. Not reading."

"How about you, Ed?" Tomas asked, a sly grin on his face. "What'd YOU get stuck with this year?"

Edward snapped out of his train of thought of how it would be to have four Reglays in the school at once; he rolled his eyes and scoffed, undoing the seal on his envelope to take out his schedule. "What's that mean? 'Stuck with'..." He looked over his schedule. "Lessee...dhampir stuff first period every day as always, then World Lit 2A and Forensics 2B, then-" His face blanked. Completely. "No."

"You got Panini, didn't you? Ha!"

"But I'm not even good at math!"


End file.
